Should We Pay for Plastic Bags?

Razaq, now a freshman at UIndy, was a Reporter for YEPT in 2023/2024 when she also wrote for Elkhart High School’s ‘The Pennant.’ She is currently interning for YEPT.

Whenever my family and I visit Chicago and go shopping, there’s always a moment at the checkout line when my mom is perplexed by the idea of spending extra money for bags. “Why should we pay for something that’s typically free?” she often asks, as she shakes her head in disbelief.

For many, it seems odd to pay for something as trivial as a plastic or paper bag, but what may seem like a minor inconvenience is actually part of a much larger and highly beneficial effort to combat environmental damage.

Chicago implemented its Checkout Bag Tax in 2017, which imposes a small fee on both plastic and paper bags. Recently, as of January 2025, the tax increased to $0.10 per bag, with $0.08 going to the city and $0.02 retained by retailers. While this may sound like an unnecessary expense, other cities and states that have enacted similar policies have seen substantial environmental and behavioral benefits.

For example, California implemented a $0.10 bag fee alongside a ban on single-use plastic bags and reported a dramatic 70-90% decrease in plastic bag usage. This translates to approximately 300 fewer bags used per person annually, and it signifies that even a small effort such as this leads to immense change. Additionally, these policies incentivize customers to bring in their own reusable bags, as they are not charged with the tax.

Other Illinois cities have followed Chicago’s example by implementing similar policies to encourage environmentally conscious behavior. In Edwardsville, stores larger than 7,000 square feet are required to charge a $0.10 fee for disposable bags. This ordinance, which began in 2021, was implemented with the hopes of “reducing waste and building a more sustainable community.” Oak Park has also enforced a similar fee since 2018, applying it to stores with at least 5,000 square feet. These local efforts align with global and national movements to minimize single-use plastics, and the results so far have been overwhelmingly positive.

In Chicago, the introduction of the Checkout Bag Tax in 2017 led to a 38% drop in disposable bag use, while doubling the use of reusable bags from 13% to 29% – all within only a month of implementation.

Reusable shopping bags offer immense benefits, both for the environment and for consumers. According to an article from Yale University’s CampusPress, “Plastic bags may seem light and inoffensive but they have a surprisingly large environmental footprint.” On average, each plastic bag is used for just 12 minutes before becoming disposed waste, yet they can take at least 500 years to biodegrade. Additionally, the article highlights that “12 million barrels of oil are used to manufacture the 30 billion plastic bags consumed in the United States each year.”

By switching to reusable bags, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and protect wildlife from the dangers of plastic pollution but also enjoy economic and practical benefits such as reducing household clutter and also saving money by not paying the plastic bag tax.

Photo by Lara Jameson, courtesy of Pexels

Beyond reducing plastic waste, bag fees encourage sustainable habits, generate revenue for local governments, and decrease litter in urban areas. According to Environment America, similar policies across the United States have already reduced billions of single-use plastic bags and prevented significant pollution. For instance, after Washington D.C. implemented a $0.05 plastic bag fee in 2009, the city saw a 72% reduction in plastic bag litter in the Anacostia River within two years.

Looking ahead, expanding this policy nationwide could have transformative implications. If the United States were to have every city and state enact similar fees — not only would plastic bag usage plummet, but the cultural shift toward sustainability could pour into other areas of consumption. National implementation could also provide much needed funding for large scale environmental projects, such as improving waste management infrastructure and supporting renewable energy initiatives. The success in states like California and cities like Chicago suggests that a national policy could reduce billions of bags from circulation annually, which would lead to cutting down on plastic pollution in waterways, landfills, and ecosystems.

In Indiana, however, the situation is quite different. In 2016, then-Governor Mike Pence signed House Bill 1053 into law, prohibiting local governments from taxing or restricting the use of disposable plastic bags by retailers. This legislation effectively prevents cities like Indianapolis from implementing bag fees or bans, limiting the state’s ability to adopt measures that have proven successful elsewhere. As a result, no establishments in Indianapolis currently charge for plastic bags, and local governments are unable to enact such policies due to the state preemption law.

The act of paying for bags at the checkout line represents a shift in our society toward valuing sustainability and accountability. My mom may still grumble about paying that extra $0.10, but when I explain how this simple step contributes to a cleaner, healthier planet, even she agrees it’s a price worth paying. A nationwide policy could amplify these benefits, pushing the United States closer to a future where sustainability is second nature.